HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 2031

As Reported by House Committee On:

Human Services & Early Learning

Title: An act relating to short-term case aides that provide temporary assistance for foster parents.

Brief Description: Concerning short-term case aides that provide temporary assistance for foster parents.

Sponsors: Representative Frame.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Human Services & Early Learning: 2/19/19, 2/20/19 [DP].

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 12 members: Representatives Senn, Chair; Callan, Vice Chair; Frame, Vice Chair; Dent, Ranking Minority Member; Eslick, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; McCaslin, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Corry, Goodman, Kilduff, Klippert, Lovick and Ortiz-Self.

Staff: Luke Wickham (786-7146).

Background:

Short-Term Case Aides.

Short-term case aides provide temporary assistance to foster parents as needed with the overall goal of supporting the parental efforts of foster parents. Short-term case aides do not provide overnight support. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is required to contract with nonprofit community-based organizations in each region to provide a statewide pool of individuals who provide short-term case aide support. Short-term case aides must be hired by the nonprofit community-based organization and have the appropriate training, background checks, and qualifications determined by the DCYF.

Short-term case aides must be available to all foster parents as funding is available. A foster parent may request a short-term case aide, and if the demand for this support exceeds the funding available, the nonprofit organization providing the short-term case aides has discretion to determine the assignment of case aides. The nonprofit organization must report all short-term case aide support provided to the DCYF.

Reports on Short-Term Case Aides.

The Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) is evaluating the impact of the short-term case aide program on foster home retention and foster youth placement stability and calculate the return on investment to the state. The WSIPP published a preliminary report on short-term case aides in November 2018, and a final report is due to the Governor and the Legislature in June 2020.

Two community-based agencies in northwest Washington began offering short-term case aide services in June 2018. Contracts were provided to Skookum Kids to provide services in Whatcom County and to Secret Harbor to provide services in Skagit County. Both are nonprofit community-based child placing agencies. From June through September 2018, a total of 13 families requested, and eight families received, a range of support services through this program.

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Summary of Bill:

Short-term case aides who provide temporary assistance for foster parents may be volunteers with the nonprofit community-based organization contracted by the DCYF to establish this support, not just employees.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) Skookum Kids and Secret Harbor are the two organizations providing case aide services in the state. Right now organizations providing this service cannot be reimbursed for providing case aide services if that service is provided by volunteers who are currently providing that service. This bill provides an opportunity to support foster parents and recruit potential foster parents. Volunteers providing case aide services help current foster parents while getting an idea of what it is like to be a foster parent.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: Representative Frame, prime sponsor; and Ray Deck III, Skookum Kids.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.